iOS/Android games that cultivate your happiness or lift your spirits?
March 23, 2014 4:01 AM Subscribe
A new, simple game I downloaded this morning, Personal Zen, got me thinking. What games do you play that cultivate happiness? Literally lift your spirits? It doesn't have to be a game "designed" to do so like this particular game necessarily.
Simpsons tapped out.
posted by chasles at 5:16 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by chasles at 5:16 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I liked Flower. The game play is simple and you fly through the air touching flowers. It was pretty and scenic and over all a relaxing and happy game to me.
posted by Jaelma24 at 5:25 AM on March 23, 2014
posted by Jaelma24 at 5:25 AM on March 23, 2014
By the same company as flower, Journey is very soothing. Both are PS3 exclusives, I thought?
There are several Koi Pond apps where you feed the fish to simple music.
Soundrop (begins with a single white ball on a black background) is very simple (it can induce anxiety in me if I "trap" the balls).
posted by saucysault at 7:39 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
There are several Koi Pond apps where you feed the fish to simple music.
Soundrop (begins with a single white ball on a black background) is very simple (it can induce anxiety in me if I "trap" the balls).
posted by saucysault at 7:39 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Doge2048 is website based, not an app as far as I know, but I love getting all the Doge's. So happy. Much wow.
posted by saucysault at 7:46 AM on March 23, 2014
posted by saucysault at 7:46 AM on March 23, 2014
For me, playing Tiny Wings is like taking an Percocet; it's my go-to iOS game when my hair is falling out and I want it to grow back.
Quality gameplay to boot. This is the bird game you should be playing (Angry Birds? Flappy Bird? Fuhgedditaboutit!)
posted by Kamelot123 at 8:03 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Quality gameplay to boot. This is the bird game you should be playing (Angry Birds? Flappy Bird? Fuhgedditaboutit!)
posted by Kamelot123 at 8:03 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I realize this is an app/game request based on the title/tags, but the wording of the question itself is vague enough that I feel comfortable mentioning crossword puzzles. Filling in a grid is like clearing the dirt from around a gemstone, but one that another human conceived and created. On a good puzzle I can attain excellent flow, which generates good feelings that spill over to whatever else I'm engaged in on a given day. And there are plenty of jokes and puns to delight me, again with the added bonus of offering connection between the puzzle creator and myself.
Mostly I'm talking about a paper and ink affair, but the Crossword app on Google Play is pretty great too.
posted by carsonb at 8:07 AM on March 23, 2014
Mostly I'm talking about a paper and ink affair, but the Crossword app on Google Play is pretty great too.
posted by carsonb at 8:07 AM on March 23, 2014
Oh, and Doge2048.com totally works in portrait orientation on Android browser. Just swipe in the direction you want the blocks to combine.
posted by carsonb at 8:09 AM on March 23, 2014
posted by carsonb at 8:09 AM on March 23, 2014
Best answer: This may not be what you mean to ask, but for me if a game *doesn't* make me happier, I stop playing. So basically any game I play (which is many) answers this question.
The three games I've played the most of on Android are Solitaire (some random free implementation, it does Spider and Freecell), 10000000, and currently Marvel Puzzle Quest, which I keep considering quitting because it's so *close* to being stressful instead of joyful.
If I hadn't dumped 400+ hours into it on real computer, Plants vs Zombies (the first one, not the horrible "free"-to play sequel) would be on that list.
The only game in the meditative, slow-paced set that I have ever found entertaining is Osmos.
But "games to make you happy" seems like a different (and maybe better?) way of asking what people's favorite games are.
posted by contrarian at 8:29 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
The three games I've played the most of on Android are Solitaire (some random free implementation, it does Spider and Freecell), 10000000, and currently Marvel Puzzle Quest, which I keep considering quitting because it's so *close* to being stressful instead of joyful.
If I hadn't dumped 400+ hours into it on real computer, Plants vs Zombies (the first one, not the horrible "free"-to play sequel) would be on that list.
The only game in the meditative, slow-paced set that I have ever found entertaining is Osmos.
But "games to make you happy" seems like a different (and maybe better?) way of asking what people's favorite games are.
posted by contrarian at 8:29 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Flower is indeed very soothing, but I actually find the bright, cartoonish, consequence-free chaos of the Katamari Damacy games gives me a fun boost of spirits. Especially once you roll it REALLY BIG and are picking up landmarks and monuments and such. The lighthearted music helps too. - I haven't played the iOS Katamari game, but they are all so similar, I hope this applies.
posted by tomboko at 9:00 AM on March 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by tomboko at 9:00 AM on March 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
Peggle.
posted by jbickers at 10:05 AM on March 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by jbickers at 10:05 AM on March 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Blendoku. It's an untimed color-arranging game with no punishment for getting things wrong. I find it super pretty and soothing.
Basic game is free, with optional paid upgrades for more levels, but the free version has an insanely generous amount of content.
posted by jessicapierce at 10:23 AM on March 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Basic game is free, with optional paid upgrades for more levels, but the free version has an insanely generous amount of content.
posted by jessicapierce at 10:23 AM on March 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I'm not sure about the quality of android/ios versions, but you need to mainline yourself some Katamari Damacy.
posted by Rinku at 11:51 AM on March 23, 2014
posted by Rinku at 11:51 AM on March 23, 2014
I like Tiny Wings too, but find myself wanting something a bit sillier, so I play Ski Safari. Very similar mechanic, except sometimes you get to ride a penguin, a yeti, and/or a snowmobile.
posted by kostia at 10:14 PM on March 24, 2014
posted by kostia at 10:14 PM on March 24, 2014
The iOS Katamari games are I Love Katamari and Katamari Amore, and both sport warnings in the App Store that they do not support iOS 7, sadly.
posted by IndigoRain at 10:33 PM on March 25, 2014
posted by IndigoRain at 10:33 PM on March 25, 2014
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posted by St. Sorryass at 4:11 AM on March 23, 2014 [1 favorite]